Chapter 27

"Sounds like something out of a Lockhart novel," Harry said as he blocked another one of Astoria's spells.

"So it would be something very good?" Daphne replied to Harry's fake vomit noises, "They're not bad!"

"I'd rather read a book written by Professor Bins."

Daphne laughed as she flipped through another page of her book, just a few yards away from Harry, "Well, it's what you have to look forward to this upcoming term."

Harry sighed, "Among other things."

There were two days left until they would have to return to Hogwarts. Harry wasn't looking forward to it at all, but it would be here at the snap of a finger.

"I had an inkling it was about me. I felt terrible. Although, It didn't stop me from eating," Harry stopped as he sent a variety of spells toward Astoria; enough to push her back to a comfortable level, "But it made it just a little harder to digest peacefully," He finished.

"Hey!" Astoria yelled as she casted spells, "Stop talking to my sister."

Harry gave a fake yawn as spells ricocheted off his casted Protego, "Give me something to pay attention too. I challenged you to get me move, but I haven't moved since we started. "

They had come back to the familiar training ground Harry had spent most of his time at. Thankfully, Dumbledore and Shacklebolt were okay with it, and Harry was taking a break from his own personal training to rest. Harry didn't admit it, but Astoria had made some scary progress since the last time he had trained with her. It wasn't necessarily her skill, but her speed was getting impressive.

"So there's no chance?" Daphne asked, her voice taking on a rather dreamy tone, "I mean, you've guys have been through a lot together. You've saved her life. She's helped you. You've helped her. A Gryffindor and a Slytherin fighting through the years of hate. Lockhart couldn't write a better story if he tried, Harry!"

"Sod." Harry said; a spell whizzed past his ear as he deflected another from his legs, "Off."

"I really wonder what it would take to please your insanely high standards, Harry."

Harry looked over at Daphne for a moment. She was smirking at him, and he couldn't help but smile back. The feelings in stomach returned as he looked at her. Every time he saw her now, he wanted to...no, he couldn't. It was dangerous, what he was feeling. He couldn't...but he wanted to.

"I-" He was stopped as he turned back to face Astoria, who was running directly at Harry. Spells flew from her wand except that instead of casting them toward Harry, she casted them at Daphne.

Harry with one flick of his wand caused the spells to fizzle in mid-air and while his other hand sent Astoria crashing and sliding across the dirt.

"Damn it, Astoria, I lost my page" Daphne grumbled as she picked up her book off the ground.

"How did you do that?" Astoria questioned as she picked herself up from the ground, dust flying high into the cold air around her.

"Nice try, It was a fair strategy. However, I've told you the dangers of not keeping a tight casting space. Don't overextend unless you have too. It decreases your mobility... by a lot, and allows for easy access to your wand or a vital area of your body. I shouldn't have been able to send you flying like that. " Harry lectured. "And lastly, you don't think a couple of third year spells would get me to move now, did you?"

"Whatever," Astoria murmured as she leaned over, panting as she attempted to catch her breath.

There was a pop. Harry turned to see Aberforth on the field. He seemed melancholic.

"Can we talk for a minute?" He asked.

"I'll be back." Harry said as he looked at Astoria and Daphne. He made his way over to Aberforth, who motioned for them to walk on a downhill path, out of the sightline of the training field. Harry followed until they were maybe a ten minute walk away from the field.

"I was angry. I was very angry that night we talked." Aberforth started. "At first at you, but then at myself. You were right. I am a drunk and bitter man. Hell, I'll always be a drunk and bitter man, but you don't have to be. That's the greatest thing about you, Harry. You refuse to let all the shit of this world keep you from giving up. Thinking about that-well-It made me fucking excited. It made made me remeber why I agreed to start training you all those years ago because even as a crybaby kid, you never fucking quit. If you couldn't get something, you would do it again and you wouldn't stop until you conquered it. Actually... It was fucking annoying, but you get the point."

"I get it," Harry replied.

"Good, I'm saying this because don't expect me to stop being a bitter old man. I don't agree with much, and that's not going to change- I fucking hate change- but I believe that you're the future I want you to hear me say that...you can face whatever the fuck you want because that's the type of person you are. You're not just Harry Potter. You're my family and no matter how fucked up the Dumbledore's are, we're…" Aberforth trailed off, his finger caressed his beard as he attempted to come up with something.

"You were never good at these." Harry said as he embraced Aberforth in a hug. Although, he quickly realized that that was a bad idea when his nose got a whiff of Aberforth's clothes, "But I get what you're saying, Aberforth."

"I needed you to hear me say it. I'm sorry about...being a bitter old man. " Aberforth said solemnly. "You penned my goats that night and I appreciate it."

Harry smiled.

Aberforth gave a heavy sigh before looking back to where they had come from. "Let's get back before those deatheaters summon you-know-who."

"I have a favor to ask of you," Harry said as they made it back toward the field.

"What?"

"I've been training Astoria when we were at Hogwarts. Since she'll be here and I'll be focusing on other tasks, I was wondering if you would continue to train her."

"No." Aberforth said gruffly. "I believe in you. Not them."

"But I believe in them. I, especially, believe in her. They're not what you think they are. " Harry said, "I think you'll get along with her quite well. At the very least, let me introduce you, properly."

Aberforth grumbled something as they made their way back onto the field. Astoria was standing in the middle, practicing spells.

"Astoria. Daphne. Let me introduce you, officially to Aberforth." Harry said as they came closer. "Aberforth, meet Daphne and Astoria."

"We've met. " Daphne said coolly. "He brought us back to Hogwarts, and left us all with...kind words."

"Who cares." Astoria said as she turned back to practicing. Harry could see the anger flash across Aberforth's face.

"Astoria, he'll be training you while I'm gone." Harry said, "He's the one who trained me."

"I never agreed to anything of the sort." Aberforth began, eyeing the girls.

"That smelly old guy," Astoria said as she continued to cast spells. "Not a chance. Probably couldn't pick his wand up if he tried. "

Like a bad potion combination, Aberforth exploded, "You little death eater goat shit. I don't seem to remember you being so tough when all you did was crawl up into a ball and cry a few weeks ago? Some tough girl you are, had to be rescued like the sniffling child you are."

Astoria turned around, tears swelling in the corner of her eyes, "Yeah, maybe I was crying because... you smell bad, and...and... you're really ugly….shit face."

"Fuck you, kid."

Harry looked at Daphne and gave a sardonic thumbs up, "So far so good!"

Daphne deadpanned, "I'm starting to see where it comes from."

Two days had passed fairly quickly, and for once, Daphne was glad to be heading back to Hogwarts. She was a bit relieved about Astoria, who for the most part seemed to be making strides. Although, it wasn't all great, there would still be late-night tears. However, she was more than jubilant to just see her sister returning, even picking fights again. It was a good sign.

She would have to stop worrying, for now. Especially now that she was here. Platform 9 ¾.

"Here we go," She said as she stepped through the portal. Alone. The platform was rather empty, parents hugging their children tightly. Aurors hung against the walls, making it feel more like prison than returning to school. To her surprise, she saw Blaise and his mom on the platform...she was...wiping her tears as Blaise looked at her uncomfortably. Always one for appearances.

She waited back until they had finished to board the train. He spotted her immediately.

"Daphne. Well, what a surprise. How was the holiday?" Blaise asked coolly as he boarded..

Daphne smirked, "You wouldn't believe where I had Christmas dinner?"

They pushed themselves toward the end toward a private cabin.

"Do tell?" Blaise replied as he put his things away and casted a privacy charm.

"The Weasley's."

Blaise rolled his eyes, "Like they could afford to feed even one of their own. Let alone a Slytherin."

"You would have thought! They didn't even have a houself." Daphne said as Blaise snickered. Daphne smiled for just a moment. "And get this we had to help. We- we... It was…it was..."

"Awful? Despicable? Barbaric? Muggle-like?"

Daphne sighed. "It wasn't that bad."

"That was...well, anticlimactic."

"How was the Holiday for you?"

"It wasn't bad, there seemed to be a fair bit of emotions going around in the household. I'm assuming because the wizengamot passed the W.A.A act with 26 for, 20 against, and 4 abstaining."

"Well...Is that significant?"

"It only needed one vote against or abstaining and it would have failed. They need more than ½ of a majority to pass things."

"God, I should know more about the way our government works." Daphne said with a simpering smirk. "But This means things will be dangerous for us...this term."

"Oh,"Blaise teased, "It's us now."

Daphne's middle finger shot up as she replied, "Here you go, Blaise."

"If I recall, a few months ago, I had to drag you to come to the forest."

"Well, I don't feel any safer so your reasoning was bullshit."

"I told you to find out for yourself," Blaise replied as he stood up, grabbing a familiar book from his bag, and handing it to Daphne, "It seems safe enough at the moment to give you this back."

Daphne grabbed it. It was a tattered old thing. She could remember only seeing it a few times in her life. Her father had it once and then her uncle had it...after that...

"Any luck?" Daphne asked as she thumbed through the empty pages.

Blaise gave a grim look, "None. I tried everything I could...everything except potions but I don't think any would help. If there's a secret code, I can't crack it. Also I forgot who you were with so all my attempts at correspondence kept returning."

"There has to be something here. What am I missing?"

"You know, you should really talk to Harry-"

"No." Daphne replied, "Blaise. You can't tell him. Promise me you won't tell him?"

"Relax." Blaise said as he threw his hands up innocently, " I won't. I'm saying, you should consider it."

Daphne closed the book rather roughly,"For once, this isn't Harry's fight. This is mine."

"I see Harry is rubbing off on you."

"What?"

Blaise's face didn't give anything away, rather he looked out the window, "Nothing. I just get the feeling, we'll all be fighting soon."

Harry pulled the chest from his room. He had a sharp window for when Sarah's alternative life would end, and she would return to normal...or at least what she thought was normal. Thankfully, the other auror that would switch with Sarah, was best friends with Shacklebolt and therefore an ally. He would help make sure there were no cracks in the story and that Sarah wouldn't think too hard about her past two weeks.

That left the Arran. He would have to figure out how he knew before their next meeting. Neither him nor Dumbledore could figure it out. Harry would have to figure it out before it was too late. Did Tonks slip up? Was it Riddle? A rat? There were too many vari-

"Harry."

Harry turned to look at Astoria who stood in the hallway.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," She said as she came closer, tears filling her face, "I messed up and I'm sorry, but thank you for forgiving me."

Harry shrugged half-heartedly, "You learned your lesson, and you'll live with it for the rest of your life. That's punishment enough in my book."

Astoria eyes fell to the floor, "But I lied to you. I knew what I was doing. I told Draco the truth because I knew you would try and capture her and I knew associating with you would be the only way I could get Cain to come attack me. I just-"

"Wait. Wait. Stop." Harry said, reaching out to grab Astoria's shoulder, "What did you say?

"I lied to-"

"No. About Draco."

Astoria tilted her head away, "I told him to tell you that Daphne knew who the castor was...I thought that's how you find out, but Daphne seemed confused at that statement too...I don't think he told you."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, the desperation a little heavy in his voice.

Astoria nodded, firmly.

"Fuck."

Draco sat on his bed, the diadem in his hand, "I'm not naive. I know you're taking far more control than you want me to believe."

"No."

"I don't even have to put you on for me to talk to you. It would be better for both of us if you wouldn't lie to me." Draco said as he ran his hands over the diadem, "I told you I was okay with it as long as you fulfilled what I wanted. I'm not shy about it, but I'm not going to end up like that Weasley girl."

"I only control as much as you want me to control. You've allowed that control."

"You want me to believe that, but that's not true. Tracy...I would have never been able to do that if It wasn't for you."

"Did you not beg for an answer? I provided one. I offered you wisdom like I've done for all who have adorned me. I have no agenda but the one my wearer provides me."

"Again, I'm not naive, who do you think you're fooling? I'm not an idiot, but I don't fucking care as long as you help me accomplish what you've help me seen. A new world. A bett-"

"Well now, Isn't this interesting?" A voice behind him chuckled, " Are you talking to a fucking tiara?"

Draco stood up immediately, sitting the diadem on top of his head. The man, in question, stood at the entrance of his room. His smile was big as he held up his hands, innocently.

"Did I interrupt you? I'm sorry! I'm so bad at interrupting at the wrong time! You won't believe me, but last week, I walked in on Bellatrix and-"

"Did the Dark Lord send you?" Draco asked as he pulled his wand out.

The man's smile died, "Where are my manners? I'm Light. You know, this war is turning everyone into rude fucking people. I miss the days when you could walk into someone's home and they'd fucking fix your broomstick, offer you some Earl Grey, give you a bite to eat. We should get back to those days because believe me...I sure as hell need a bite right about now. "

"Answer my question, Light."

Light shrugged, "No. I sent myself. It…didn't sit right for me for some blonde kid to walk in, and make demands on our Lord. I might be a bit old-fashioned, in that regard, but I swear I'm not that bad...like for one, I believe that Goblins should be reclassified. See how fucking progressive that is? I mean they handle our money and we call them beings, how much of an arsehole do you have to be to think that? I understand why they're mad! Shit just isn't right."

Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was this guy serious?

"Sorry..Sorry...I talk a lot, but all my friends never listen to me. Those assholes are always so serious. The only meaningful interactions I have are with people I have to kill. It's a bit sad, but back to the point. I'm here to kill you and your entire family. There won't be a trace of you when I'm done. I'm really thinking that the Dark Lord will thank me for keeping some fucking looney tiara talker from wasting his time. People are fucking crazy these days. "

Draco rolled on the floor as black spikes exploded through his bed and the wall, piercing him on his side as he picked himself up quickly.

"Shit." Draco yelped, unable to check the injury.

'Let go. Now.'

"Damn, that usually does it." Light said as he retracted the spikes. "It'd be best to stop running. I hate for my food to be too damaged."

Before Light could move again, Draco, with one cast of his wand, watched as the floor crumbled and collapsed, sending him and Light falling to the floor below. With another wave of his hand, he slowed himself down enough to land on the next floor with no significant impact.

They had landed into the drawing room, a darkly lit room that now had debris and dust filling the air. Draco dusted himself off as Light consolidated himself in front of Draco, unharmed by the collapse.

"Holy shit, that was impressive! I have to say, I thought you would have been crying at this point, begging for your life -or your parents...showing some type of emotion. I mean, your father started weeping like in ten seconds of seeing me. I almost want to treat you to a pint, you cold fucking killer! "

"Is the hunger as bad as they say it is?" Draco asked as he stepped away from the debris and toward the diamond-paned windows. "I've heard it never ends. It controls your every move, your every thought, and your every desire. So enduring that you would eat your own container then face it fully."

"What do you know about this?" Light asked defensively. "I'm starting to get real suspicious about you."

"Light, Don't take this the wrong way." Draco said as he turned back around, "But how fucking stupid are you?"

"You're dead!" Light yelled as spears came barreling out towards Draco.

Draco raised his wand, watching as the lights in the room died and the windows behind him were morphed shut, leaving the room in an unnatural pitch black state. Even the giant hole in the room had been covered to allow for the unnatural darkness that coated the room.

"The fusion of your human soul to those creatures, it's quite a feat. All for power and immortality, but there's immense tradoff's for it." Draco said as he stood in the dark, "Hunger. Containers. Insanity in darkness. An extreme weakness to fire. Your desperation for this power has made you the weakest of them all. You are subpar."

Light screamed, his voice reverberated in the dark, " Who the fuck are you? I'll wring your fucking neck, if you don't start talking!"

"Didn't you notice there's no one here? This manor is vacant." Draco said as he moved forward, "I didn't think it would happen so soon, but I'm appreciative of you, Zain. You made this so much easier than it had to be."

"Who the fuck are you?" Light screamed again.

"Isn't it clear, who I am?" Draco whispered. "I am Voldemort."

"No. It's impossible."

"Oh." Draco stopped, he was close to Light, "A pathetic half-human creature from the depths of the Albanian forest tells me what is possible? Did I not rescue you when death came for you? Did I not give you a purpose?"

"My-my lord, how? It can't be so? If this is true, Let me take you to the castle? Let me-"

"I have no interest in that arrangement." Draco replied, "By the way, it's a diadem."

With the wave of his wand, flames poured out into the room engulfing Light entirely. A blood-curdling scream was produced by Light as the flames continued to surround him, burning him with such intensity that the room filled with cooked flesh within a few seconds passing.

Draco waved his hand as the room's darkness ended. With another wave, the fire stopped allowing Light's charred body to collapse to the ground as Draco approached it. From up close, Light's unrecognizable body was whimpering as it laid unmoving, smoke rising from its body.

"Disgusting. In my world, where everyone lives, there's no need for subpar creatures like you." Draco said as he put his foot on the back of the charred body, applying pressure until he heard a crack. Like a shell, the body split open, revealing a small black octopus-like creature with tendrils that were long and tenebrous.

"But for now Zain, I'll need your help finding a lost diary of mine. "

Before it could move, Draco flicked his wand causing the floor to wrap around the creature, creating a wooden box to contain the creature.

As he attempted to pick it up, Draco fell to the floor.

"What-"

Managing to crawl to his knees, he noticed the pool of blood that had accumulated. He took a look closer at his wound, lifting his shirt to see a large wound where he had been pierced, it had been more internal than had thought as it continued to bleed profusely.

"Damn it," Draco said as he attempted to pick himself up, only to fall again. As the corners of his vision began to white, he called for the only person his mind would allow for.

"Dobby. Dobby. Do-"

POP.

Post-Chapter Thoughts:

As always thanks for reading! We're at the point where things are rolling, and that events I couldn't wait to write about when I started are finally getting onto real pages. I can't wait for you to read them; It's going to be awesome(But I guess that's for you to judge).

Are you even pureblood if you don't own a houself?

Dobby :)

Next Chapter, Neville cries and Voldemort discovers the power of friendship and love.